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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28240866">Staying Good</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/oper_1895/pseuds/oper_1895'>oper_1895</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little bit of come licking, Aftercare, BDSM POSTURES, Crying, D/s, Hair-pulling, M/M, MCU Christmas Exchange 2020, Masturbation, Praise Kink, Rope Bondage, Whipping, forced exercise, situational bondage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:35:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28240866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/oper_1895/pseuds/oper_1895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why are you here?”</p><p>After all the negotiations and discussions, Bucky still asked every time, and Clint was always the one who had to answer the question. It did help, he had to admit. It let him clarify why he wanted, it set their intentions for the scene beyond just the actions. Sometimes he was here for pain, sometimes for quiet. Sometimes it took him a while to figure it out, but Bucky would always wait. Tonight Clint knew exactly why he was here. </p><p>“I want to be good for you.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>MCU Christmas Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Staying Good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/vexbatch/gifts">vexbatch</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is for vexbatch for the MCU Christmas Exchange. It was a lot of fun to write something that’s so heavy on the praise kink and desire to be good. </p><p>Thank you to Inktastic1711 for betaing!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why are you here?”</p><p>Clint took a deep breath, straightening his posture from good to excellent where he was standing in front of Bucky. This was the moment, the beginning. This was the ritual that made the change from Clint and Bucky to boy and Sir. After all the negotiations and discussions, Bucky still asked every time, and Clint was always the one who had to answer the question. It did help, he had to admit. It let him clarify <em>why </em>he wanted, it set their intentions for the scene beyond just the actions. Sometimes he was here for pain, sometimes for quiet. Sometimes it took him a while to figure it out, but Bucky would always wait. Tonight he knew exactly why he was here. </p><p>“I want to be good for you.” </p><p>“Hmmm,” Bucky rumbled, warm and pleased sounding. Clint felt the thrill settle into the pit of his stomach. </p><p>“Take off your clothes.”</p><p>Clint stripped, usually unselfconscious with nudity, but Bucky’s eyes felt like a weight on him. He folded his clothes carefully. </p><p>”Show me how good you are: Position One.”</p><p>Clint sank to his knees, spreading his knees and lacing his hands behind his head, elbows back. He fell into the familiar posture with the ease of long and enjoyable hours of their training together. He tilted his chin up but kept his eyes on the floor as he heard Bucky step behind him, double checking his positioning as he heard the dry slide of a cane being removed from the case. </p><p>He felt himself starting to slip down into the haze as Bucky’s heavy footsteps circled him. The cane tapped his shoulders, he noticed the tension in them and let them drop to where they should be. The cane trailed down his spine, across his hip and over his thighs, skimming over his vulnerable inner thighs and even more vulnerable cock. Clint kept his eyes fixed to the floor and waited. </p><p>“Very good.” </p><p>“Thank you, Sir.” But inside the softness was singing <em>he was good, he was good</em>. Things were never this simple outside of this room, the good was tainted and the good was hard. Here, it was simple. He was good, or he was corrected until he was good and then he was good again. There was no gray, there was no nuance or thought required. He just did as he was told, and he was good. </p><p>“Position Two.”</p><p>Clint folded himself forward, raising his hips slightly as he stretched his arms out along the floor, splaying his fingers, baring every vulnerable piece of himself to Bucky. But he didn’t twitch, even when Bucky dragged the tip of the cane over his cock. He was Being Good.  </p><p>“That was almost too easy for you.” </p><p>Clint stayed still. It wasn’t a question, he didn’t have to answer. Bucky’s heavy boots circled him again, this time pausing over his spread fingers, just the beginning of pressure. Clint very very carefully did not move. </p><p>“Good boy,” Bucky said, and Clint could hear the pleasure in his voice at Clint’s success. </p><p>Bucky stepped away and Clint let out his breath in a slow controlled exhale. </p><p>The tip of the cane deftly avoided his aids as Bucky followed the curves of his skull, then dipped under Clint's jaw. It paused under Clint’s chin, digging into the soft underside until Clint followed the direction of the cane, raising himself up until he was kneeling again, eyes kept carefully downward.  </p><p>“Look at me,” Bucky said, voice soft but firm as he lifted Clint’s chin with the cane. Helplessly, Clint obeyed, eyes following the line of the cane up until he made eye contact. Clint found his breath coming faster and Bucky’s eyes flashed hot. Clint had a moment of empathy for small prey animals as Bucky crowded him back, pushing forward until Clint was splayed back on his elbows, feeling pinned by Bucky’s gaze as much as the cane. </p><p>Bucky smirked, and with a casual flick of his wrist, tipped Clint’s chin to the ceiling, finally breaking the eye contact, but leaving Clint feeling bare and exposed. He felt the goosebumps shiver across his skin, despite the warmth of the room.</p><p>Bucky paused there, let him sit in the moment. Then heavy footsteps moved away.</p><p>“Up. I’ve got a new position for you today.”</p><p>Clint pushed himself up to his feet, feeling a frisson of excitement as he followed Bucky’s direction with the cane to a section of bare wall.</p><p>“Face the wall. Reach as high as you can. Fingertips only touching the wall.”</p><p>Clint obeyed, feet a careful distance away from the wall as he rose up on the balls of his feet to keep from even brushing the wall with any other body part. Once he was in place, Bucky stepped in close, touching him directly for the first time this evening. Clint shivered at the heat of the contact but Bucky’s touch remained practical, heedless of Clint’s want. Bucky tapped his hands apart until they were slightly wider than shoulder width. He ran his hand up Clint’s spine, adjusted the angle of his neck and hips. </p><p>“Step back, slowly, until I say stop. Keep that line in your spine.”</p><p>Clint slowly stepped back, keeping careful balance between his toes and fingertips. </p><p>Clint’s feet were about a foot away from the wall when Bucky told him to stop. Now it wasn’t just a matter of balance, light tension thrummed through his muscles, his core tight as he kept the connection between his toes and his fingers. He could feel the muscles in his legs and ass flex to keep balance, the pressure counterbalanced in his arms and shoulders. </p><p>“Feet wider.”</p><p>Clint obeyed, sinking contentedly into the simplicity of the orders.</p><p>“Very nice,” Bucky purred and Clint tried to burn the feelings of this moment into his muscle memory. Tried to memorize how it felt in his shoulders, his ribs, his hips and feet. How his bones and muscles and breath worked with each other. </p><p>“This is Position Three.” Bucky said, rumbling into Clint’s ear and rewarding him with full body contact. His body was a warm comfort along Clint’s back but then Bucky leaned further, forcing Clint to carry some of his weight. Clint held his position. </p><p>“Very very good.”</p><p>Clint felt warm satisfaction, and Bucky stepped away. </p><p>“Fifteen pushups, then back to position.”</p><p>Archer and Avenger, the pushups weren’t even the beginning of a challenge, but they were a way to break up the repetition of the position and the number would double each time until he was perfect twice in a row. He knocked off the pushups in seconds but it took him a moment to find the position again when he went back to the wall. He tried to find the feeling again, the set of his shoulders, the width of his feet.</p><p>Bucky’s corrections weren’t a surprise, but they were a disappointment. </p><p>Bucky patiently moved him into position, silently correcting fingers and hands and shoulders and neck and all the way down to the set of his feet with his warm hands. Then Bucky sent Clint down for more pushups. Clint gritted his teeth, the errors more frustrating than the effort, but he knew it wouldn’t take long for the doubling to make this real work. And not long past that for it to become impossible. He could do this, he would do this. </p><p>He popped up a second time and was closer, only a couple of tweaks. </p><p>The third time he had to accommodate the heaving of his chest and the way his shoulders were starting to ache, but his Bucky couldn’t find a fault with his legs and that sent a warm flush of accomplishment and pride through him. </p><p>He dropped down for this fourth set with renewed determination. Eventually they would reach a point where even his determination wasn’t going to be enough to win over the tremor of fatigued muscles. He couldn’t say he took more care this time as he set himself in place, each time he tried his hardest, but he took an extra moment, knowing he was running out of chances. </p><p>There was a breathless moment. He kept himself still, held his position. He felt like he was poised on the edge, waiting for the fall.</p><p>“Perfect, darlin’, just perfect.” </p><p>Clint felt himself go soft at Bucky’s words. There it was, there was the fall. He let the words sink into him, let it soothe his muscles. </p><p>“Again.”</p><p>Clint slid down to the floor. This was the real test. If he could do it now, he could pass it. If he failed this time, he’d be too tired to find this place again and this would be the rest of their evening, giving everything Bucky asked until he couldn’t do anymore. But if he got it, if he was good, then he’d get those words again.</p><p>He stood carefully after he finished his set. Found his breath and searched for the memory in his muscles. He knew it, not like the same way he knew the anchor point of his draw, not yet, but he’d get there. He found his position and then waited.</p><p>Bucky’s hand came down on the back of his neck, and Clint almost cried in the rising flood of disappointment. </p><p>But then Bucky’s hand scratched up into his hair, and Bucky pressed a kiss into the nape of his neck.</p><p>“Good boy.”</p><p>The only reason Clint’s knees didn’t drop out from under him was his focus on the Position. </p><p>Bucky’s hand was replaced with leather, he buckled the collar on, sealing the kiss into his skin with leather as warm as his hand. Clint closed his eyes and let that sink in, let the feeling of the leather against his neck ground him. </p><p>“This is going to be hard,” Bucky said, voice like velvet, “but I know it’s going to be hard. As long as you try, I’ll be happy, and then I’ll make it easier on you.” </p><p>Clint nodded. He wanted to reach out, wanted to bury himself in Bucky’s scent, but instead he swallowed against the prize of Bucky’s collar and nodded again. He was ready for whatever came next. </p><p>“Now, stay in Position.” </p><p>The first snap of the whip felt like fire, the echoes reverberating around the room as the bright hot burn on the skin penetrated deeper. Clint gasped, wavered but held himself. </p><p>He bit back a groan at the second hit, first feeling of the slice and then another drop of fire sinking into him. Then another and another. With each strike, Bucky let Clint shatter under that intensity, and waited for him to pull himself back together and prepare before the next wave of fire. Bucky’s rhythm was steady and predictable, his casual delivery contrasting with how each crack of the whip utterly overwhelmed all of Clint’s senses. The smell of sweat and leather, the sound echoing around the room, the heat burning into the thick muscles of his back, the colors flashing behind his eyes squeezed shut, and the taste of his screams caught behind his teeth. But Clint held his position even though he could feel muscles twitching and firing, teeth chattering as adrenaline surged with nowhere to go. He locked his body into position and tried to ride the wave of the whip, to keep his focus and not fall apart. He tried and tried and then-</p><p>There wasn’t another strike.</p><p>“Relax,” Bucky said, and Clint slumped into the wall, bracing himself with trembling arms. “Good, good boy. You are amazing. You did such a good job.”</p><p>Clint turned his head towards Bucky, towards the praise like a sunflower looking for the sun.</p><p>“You were so good for me. I know how hard that was and you were so fucking good.” Bucky tangled his hand into Clint’s hair holding him in place for a sweet kiss, then dragged him down to his knees and pulled him forward by his hair until he was folded over the coffee table. Clint let himself be dragged, let Bucky control him as he shuddered his way through the aftermath of the whip, glowing from the success.</p><p>“Position 2 - altered” Bucky asked. And this was harder than an order, harder than being forced. Clint was flying after the whipping and he could be <em>done</em>, but Bucky was asking him for more. And Clint wanted to be good.  </p><p>Clint reached forward, feeling the burn of the welts as he slumped over the coffee table. He moaned happily and went limp when he felt the ropes wrap around his wrists, anchoring him over the table. Then Bucky’s hands were pulling his legs to the legs of the coffee table, tying off just above his knees and spiraling rope down each calf in a snug reward, wrapping down each toe. It was a gift. He didn’t have to keep himself still anymore, Bucky was taking care of that, he could just feel. </p><p>“You did so well.” Bucky set himself to the side of the table, his left hand a cool comfort on Clint’s unmarked lower back, his right hand warming the skin on Clint’s ass. “This is a reward.”</p><p>Clint was already flying from the whipping so when Bucky started spanking Clint found himself immediately sinking into the moment, his body going soft and lax under the steady easy blows. The rope was comforting and secure, a promise that he could only be good, as the reliable rhythm rocked his body against the coffee table. He drifted, hazy and content. This was good. He had made the right choice. </p><p>He jumped, coming up hard against the ropes when the Bucky’s hands suddenly turned hard and stingy. </p><p>“Just makin’ sure you’re still paying attention.”</p><p>And when Bucky went back to it, the easy rhythm of the spanking was gone. Now it was deep thumping strikes pulsing through his body, interspersed with stinging slaps. Clint groaned, let himself struggle a little, instinctively moving into the punches, away from the sting. With the ropes keeping him good, he could let his body take over, could lose himself in this pain. </p><p>And he did. </p><p>Clint blinked hazily as Bucky carefully pried his hands off the rope so he could untie him. His legs were free, he realized, but he stayed where he was put until Bucky released him.</p><p>“Go stand against the wall, same as before.”</p><p>Clint staggered to his feet. He hissed as he reached up, feeling the burn of now sore muscles and the welts in his back and thighs, but he found the position. </p><p>“Gorgeous.” Bucky purred. Clint heard the zipper of his pants, and fabric shifting. “Fucking goregous. I was wailing on you and you just took it all so sweet. And now you’re there, wearing all my marks, don’t think I can’t see you trembling, can’t see how hard your working but you’re perfectly in position and you’re doing it just for me.” </p><p>Clint’s breathing was starting to go ragged, matching Bucky’s as he jerked himself off. </p><p>“You’re so fucking strong, and you give it all to me. Don’t know what I did to earn this, but I’m gonna do my best to never make you regret it.”</p><p>Clint was trembling, feelings rising in him that were almost overwhelming. He bit his lip, wanting to turn around, but wanting to be good even more. </p><p>“You’re so good and you’re <em>mine</em>.” Bucky’s voice broke as he came with a gasp, the slick sounds slowing.</p><p>“Now turn around and see how good you are.”</p><p>Clint turned, seeing Bucky hazy eyed and sprawled on the couch with come spatered up his torso. Clint did that. Clint <em>did that</em>. He felt a rush of his own satisfaction, stronger than his response to Bucky’s words. The look of pride on Bucky’s face, the proof of his pleasure at Clint. Clint felt his fingers twitch, wanting to touch and let himself be part of that moment. But he didn’t have permission yet. He managed to cling to his control by a thread. </p><p>“Come on, come get your reward.”</p><p>Clint staggered forward, falling to his knees beside the couch. Bucky’s hand landed in his hair, half petting, half tugging as Clint cleaned the come off his chest. Up until this point, Clint had been reactive, an object, a recipient of Bucky’s attentions. This chance to finally <em>do </em>something loosed his grasp of control. The emotions that had been building hit a crescendo and he tried to crawl up into Bucky’s lap, suddenly desperate for contact.</p><p>“Come ‘ere,” Bucky murmured, reaching down to help Clint up onto the couch, onto Bucky. “You’re here, you’re good. I’m here.”</p><p>Clint sobbed into Bucky’s chest, broken and reborn.</p><p>--</p><p>Clint didn’t know how long it was before he cried himself out. But eventually he was aware of a soft blanket covering him, and gentle hands in his hair.</p><p>“Hey,” Bucky rumbled as Clint raised his head out of the damp patch he’d created. “Welcome back. Do you need anything right now?” </p><p>Clint considered the question. He’d need some things soon; he was thirsty, the welts on his back were burning and would need to be checked. But that was for later. Right now he just shifted a little higher to tuck his head into Bucky’s neck. He shook his head as he snuggled in tighter. </p><p>Bucky’s hands came down carefully on his back. “Good. You’re good. I love you. ” </p><p>Clint felt his eyes well up, overwhelmed all over again but the emotion felt clean and light. “I love you too,” he murmured. It came out more of a three pitched hum with his face mashed against skin, but he felt Bucky’s amused huff and he knew that he understood. </p><p>“A couple more minutes and then we’re gonna move. You’re gonna to regret it if you fall asleep on the couch.”</p><p>Clint groaned his acknowledgement and started to prepare himself to leave the bubble of Bucky’s arms. He hissed as his movements woke up the pain.</p><p>“Yeah, come on.” Bucky reached out to help, but Clint was lying on top of him so there wasn’t much he could do. Clint gritted his teeth and rolled, sliding off the edge of the couch to the floor. It wasn’t the most graceful act, and certainly wasn’t painless, but it worked.</p><p>He grinned and looked up at Bucky, who rolled his eyes with an indulgent look, and then reached forward with gentle hands to tug at the blanket Clint had dragged down with him. Clint let it go, and Bucky’s cool metal hand felt soothing against the burning welts. </p><p>“These look good, no blood,” Bucky said absently, his fingers playing across the welts made Clint hiss. His giddiness fading under the touch and the memories it invoked of <em>stillness</em> and <em>pain</em> and <em>good</em>. But then Bucky stood up. “Alright. Water, bathroom, bed. Then you can fall asleep.”</p><p>Clint nodded, “Yeah, okay.” </p><p>Three steps. Water, bathroom, bed. He could do this. He let Bucky drag him to his feet and to their bedroom. He drank the water that Bucky pushed into his hands while Bucky washed the pain-sweat away with a gentle washcloth. It was nice, Clint thought hazily, making a note to ask for this again when he could properly appreciate it. The warmth and the care soothed him in ways he couldn’t quite articulate yet. He finished his water and set down the bottle but then without the cool focus of the water grounding him into his body, he found himself listing towards Bucky’s touch.</p><p>“Alright, I can take a hint.” Bucky chuckled and Clint realized Bucky was now supporting a reasonable portion of his weight. “Let’s get you to bed.”</p><p>Clint pushed back, stood up on his own two feet again, staggered to the bed under Bucky's careful supervision. He was asleep in minutes wrapped up in Bucky’s scent, the carefully comforting weight of his arms, and the knowledge that he was good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>All comments are welcome, including keyboard smashes and emojis!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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